İmam bayıldı

imam bayıldı

Eggplant collapsed in olive oil, onion and tomato — the imam fainted, allegedly, and there is no meat in the pot.

Recipe by I Want Some Food · Reviewed by the editorial kitchen. Native name preserved: imam bayıldı.

Start cooking
Measurement system
Prep
20 min
Cook
50 min
Rest
None
Total
1 hr 10 min
Difficulty
Easy
Spice
No chilli
Cost
Cheap nightUnder $8 USD · indicative, not a store price
İmam bayıldı

About

İmam bayıldı is whole or halved eggplant simmered or baked with a lot of onion, garlic, tomato and olive oil until it is silky. It is served at room temperature. The imported version with lamb and tzatziki is a different plate that borrowed the name.

What you'll need

8 ingredients. Tap each one once it's out on the bench.

0 of 8 ready
4 servings

Ingredients

Scaling multiplies the written quantities. Baking still prefers a scale.

Steps

  1. Step 1

    Halve eggplants, salt, brown in some of the oil. Soften onion and garlic in the rest, add tomato, sugar, salt.

    20 min

  2. Step 2

    Nest eggplants in the onion, spoon the sauce over, add a splash of water. Cover and bake or simmer 35 minutes. Parsley. Cool.

    35 min

Nutrition

Per serving · estimate

Calories
310 kcal
Protein
4 g
Carbs
25.9 g
Fat
23.2 g
Saturated fat
3.2 g
Fibre
8.6 g
Sugar
13.7 g
Sodium
498 mg

Calculated from canonical ingredient data (USDA FoodData Central averages and equivalent published tables). Estimates only.

Allergens

Informational only. Not a medical guarantee. Cross-contamination happens in real kitchens.

  • No major allergens flagged in the structured ingredients.
  • Vegetarian
  • Vegan

Adapt this recipe

The original recipe stays as it is. Personal versions are labelled. Serving changes are simple maths.

Adaptations · 0 / 15 used. Resets 13 November.

Substitutions

  • Sugar → Skip it

    Some pots are only savoury.

Tips

  • It is an olive-oil dish. Do not be shy.
  • Room temperature, not hot from the oven, is the usual.

History & culture

Olive-oil dishes (zeytinyağlı) of the Aegean and a mezze. Better the next day.

The fainted-imam story is folklore. The dish is Ottoman-Aegean vegetable cookery.

Traditional

Provenance: Editorial adaptation.

Questions about this recipe

Answers taken from this dish's times, amounts, swaps and tips.

How long does İmam bayıldı take?

1 hr 10 min all in — 20 min prep, 50 min cook. Cook and rest follow the method. Leftover storage and optional extra waits are not included.

How many does it serve?

The recipe is written for 4 plates. Scale the ingredient list on the page if you are cooking for a different number.

How hard is it?

Easy.

How spicy is it?

No chilli.

Does it fit a diet?

The published recipe is labelled Vegetarian, Vegan.

What does it cost to cook?

Cheap night — about Under $8 USD, as a grocery budget for this recipe, not a restaurant price.

6 more questions
What equipment do I need?

Dutch oven, Oven.

How much salt do I put in?

The recipe lists Salt at 1 tsp.

How much sugar?

1 tsp (optional) of Sugar.

What can I use instead?

Sugar → Skip it. Some pots are only savoury.

Any tips from this recipe?

It is an olive-oil dish. Do not be shy. Room temperature, not hot from the oven, is the usual.

Can I use an air fryer?

This method is not written for an air fryer. The core technique on the page still applies.

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